The following is an interview with reader Kat on her journey to discovering the Love Vitamin and clearing her skin naturally.

If you’d like to fill out your own clear skin interview to be featured on the blog, then just click here.

What was your experience with acne? How many years did you have it and how did it make you feel?

I started getting bad acne when I went into puberty, and it continued like that all the way through college.

It was so embarrassing. I tried to cover it with makeup but it still showed through.

Once when I was 16, I arrived to work at my then-job and my manager said, “Look how bad your face is broken out!”

Yeah, thanks…. I know…

What kinds of things did you try prior to holistic healing that didn’t work?

I tried every product on the market. Proactiv, Clean N Clear, Neutrogena, you name it.

Back in the throes of my acne storm, I never went to the dermatologist or anything because I couldn’t afford to. I dreamed about going though (is it silly to dream that?) because I thought that a dermatologist would have the magical cure or medicine.

Surely they would have something that would work, right?

Some of the over-the-counter products mildly helped my acne, but I also have very sensitive skin. So that combined with the harshness of those products doubled the redness and irritation on my skin… well, I feared that my face would never be completely clear.

After everything on the market failing me and then realizing that I could not afford a dermatologist, that’s when I decided to look elsewhere.

How did you discover that acne could be treated holistically?

Well, like I suspect most people did, I started scouring the internet for answers. Using natural and holistic treatments wasn’t completely new to me because I wasn’t the biggest fan of chemicals anyway. I already used natural shampoo and cleansers for the rest of my body.

For my face, though, I was totally lost. I was scared to put anything on it, even natural stuff, because my skin was/is so sensitive and easily irritated.

So, before I made any changes, I did a lot of research. That was still confusing though, because some things worked for some people and not for others, etc. I really didn’t know what to try, but I figured I may as well do it the only way I knew how, which was keep trying different things until you stumble on one that works.

I first found Tracy’s videos on youtube when I wasn’t even looking for anything acne related at the time. I was searching for something on hair care (I can’t remember what exactly) and came across her video on dreadlocks.

I watched that video, and then when I looked at the channel, I was like, Oh! There’s skincare stuff here too! And for acne! So, I decided that was a good of a place as any to start. I figured I had nothing to lose.

What were the specific things that made the biggest difference to your skin? What worked for you?

From Tracy, I learned a lot about how acne problems can be treated from the inside out. That made sense to me because whatever you’re putting in has to come out.

So if you’re putting crap in, that’s what’s going to show. And yes, I was a terrible eater and my “skin care” diet wasn’t so good either with all my chemical laden creams and washes.

The first thing I did was throw out my face wash and switch to washing with coconut oil, because I use that on my hair and already had some.

Now, I know sometimes coconut oil can be scary and cloggy for acne prone skin, but it’s never done bad things to me. I loved it on my hair, so I figured it was worth trying on my skin, and it helped a lot. I am very careful to always buy organic, completely unprocessed coconut oil though, so that may be why.

Then I threw out all of my beloved (but useless) acne products. All of them, because I realized I was probably way overloading my face. Like, no wonder it was crying out for air!

I also changed my diet and seriously cut down on sugar and processed foods (which I have maintained). That helped a great deal alone.

The thing that’s different about me is, unlike many people, I don’t actually have hormonal acne (not that I can tell anyway).

Mine really wasn’t affected by my time of the month or anything, and it didn’t seem to change when things with my hormones changed (for example, going on birth control did nothing to change it).

Mine was definitely due to a lifetime of bad choices, bad eating, and not taking care of my skin.

Anyway — I’ll admit that it took me some time to see results. I also experimented with other oils (argan, jojoba) and liked them all, so now I keep a mixture of them around for when I need them.

I also do very little to my skin nowadays, but I am always sure to keep it clean. I don’t wash it unless I feel like I need to, but if I get a little clogged, some jojoba oil rubbed on will usually do the trick.

I guess I could say that, through watching your videos and reading your articles and books, I learned how to wash and take care of my skin.

I didn’t know how to before, because no one had ever taught me or shown me before. And my skin, sensitive thing that it is, really needed something holistic and as free of chemicals as possible.

Were there any obstacles? Things you found difficult about the whole process?

The main thing I found difficult was breaking habits that I’d had for most of my life. I had to train myself to think and do things differently.

How did you feel once your skin cleared up?

A lot better! I used to pile on makeup and I would feel so ashamed without it! Now, though, I only wear makeup sometimes but feel fine if I don’t have any on.

Kat is a comedian and runs a humor blog at www.kat-mueller.com. She is married to her best friend and tries to stay as healthy as possible.

Okay, not ALL refined coconut oil is okay, but some is. It depends on how they do the refining, but yeah.. certain brands have a gentle refining process that actually leaves you a decent product at up to a 1/5th the price of virgin coconut oil.

This is a discovery that has made my pocketbook soooo much happier.

Woah, back up there Missy, what are you talking about?

Okay, so I highly recommend the use of coconut oil. Coconut oil is… well, it’s the oil from a coconut. I’m sure you can figure that out. The reason it’s so good is because:

1) It’s, like, the best oil for cooking.

Fat is not bad for you, but almost all the fat that is commonly eaten these days – like nasty vegetable oils and trans fats – are very damaged and processed which makes them really bad for your body and skin. Coconut oil is a very, very stable fat that is not prone to going bad. You can heat it to high heats, you can leave it in direct sunlight – it will sit for years and stay good.

I personally think it’s pretty important to find a good solid, stable fat to cook with. Cooking with fat makes your food taste divine, so you don’t want to miss out on that. But if you don’t have a good stable fat, you’re stuck using yucky, health damaging seed oils. Coconut oil, or pastured ghee, lard, or tallow (which I also sometimes use) are the best choices.

Yeah, so.. coconut oil is good times.

However, it’s not good times for your wallet. Well, at least the organic virgin coconut oil sure isn’t, which is what I used to recommend. Virgin means that an oil is the least processed and of the highest quality. Often anything less than that (as is the case with, say, olive oil), isn’t good for you because the harsh extraction process leaves the oil damaged and full of impurities.

Well, it turns out that because coconut oil is so stable and it can really take a beating before becoming damaged, that it’s actually okay to use refined coconut oil. For most seed oils, they need to be extracted extremely gently at low heats because the fat in them is so delicate… but with coconut oil, that doesn’t really matter because it’s a real tough cookie. And you’re probably going to be scorching the heck out of it anyway, so who really cares if it was extracted at low heat.

However, not all refined coconut oil is made the same…

Right, so, as with everything, it’s not that simple though, because it all depends on HOW they do the refining. In most cases the oil is refined with the use of harsh chemical solvents, or they’re made from rancid oil byproducts leftover from making dry coconut flakes. They’re also usually bleached and deodorized to make them palatable and acceptable for selling. Some are even partially hydrogenated, which is the process that creates trans fats. We don’t want that. That’s really gross.

But the good news is that there are some quality refined coconut oils out there that are cleaned using a natural, chemical free process, which are A-okay for consumption. I believe they might have slightly fewer health benefits than virgin, but still retain most of them. And hey – if you are not in high finance, and it’s a choice between using refined coconut oil or canola for your cooking… it’s so worth it for your health to go for the refined coconut oil!

Besides, you can always keep a jar of virgin around if you really want the best quality with the most health benefits – like if you are using it as an antifungal during a candida cleanse, or using it as a moisturizer on your skin.

Plus – there is actually another benefit to refined coconut oil aside from money: refined coconut oil doesn’t taste like coconut. I know that some people don’t mind the coconut taste of virgin coconut oil (personally I never noticed it making my food taste coconutty), but some people really notice it and can’t stand it. So this is a great little bonus.

Here’s how much money I’ve saved:

I used to buy little jars of organic virgin coconut oil at my local health store for 18 or 19 bucks a pop (on the left in the photo below).

But then I discovered I could get this bucket of organic refined coconut oil for 42 dollars at the organic bulk food store next door:

The bucket has five times as much coconut oil as the other one or only twice the price, which means that I literally saved $100. A hundred dollars!! A hundred frickin dollars!!

Which Brands of Refined Coconut Oil Are Okay to Use for Cooking?

Well, I am sure there are more available than I am aware of, but a few brands that I know of that seem to have a quality refining process are the following:

I guess I should mention that if you really want to get a good deal on coconut oil, you should buy it in bulk! That’s why I linked to the one gallon pales. Also, if you are wondering about the refining process of a different brand of coconut oil, don’t ask me because I don’t know! haha… please visit their website or give them a call about it and they will be able to tell you.

Watch Me Talk About Coconut Oil in Video

Do you use coconut oil? If not, what oils do you use to cook your food in?

It can also help to kill yeast and parasites which improves digestion, and it can also boost your immune system to fight infections!

Coconut Oil is Great for Acne If Used Internally!

My favourite way to use coconut oil is in my cooking. Instead of olive oil, canola oil, or any other random oil, it’s best to use coconut oil – not just because of the health properties, but because it has a very high smoke point.

Many oils (including olive oil) mutate and turn toxic when they are heated to medium or high heats. You don’t want that – damaged, toxic oils can have a very adverse affect on your skin.

However, coconut oil is more stable and can withstand higher heat, leaving you with a much healthier meal.

Okay, great. But what about using it directly on the skin?

Using Coconut Oil on the Face to Treat Acne

I’ve been getting a nutty amount of questions lately in regard to using coconut oil on the face.

This is because there are many a review out there on the internet RAVING about how awesome coconut oil is for their skin. It helps to clear acne, heal wounds, and moisturize their skin to a silky state.

So people want to know from me… is it legit? Should they use it?

To be honest… the answer is NO!

I would definitely have no problem using it as a moisturizer for my body, but I’ve never used it on my face. Frankly, I’m too scared to try it.

While many people love using coconut oil topically, the fact is that it’s very comedogenic (meaning pore clogging). On a scale of one to five, with five being the most comedogenic, coconut oil is a four!

One of the most concrete reasons I’m too freaked out to give it a try is because of some articles that Fran from High on Health posted a while ago about her experiences with coconut oil.

She wrote a post telling people that she was using coconut oil on her face and that it was going well, and that she LOVED IT!

But then she later does a follow up post in which she says it triggered quite a breakout, all her pores became clogged, and it took her skin months to recover. She even calls it a ‘nightmare’.

I’ve actually heard this story a fair few times from others as well.

Everyone Is Different, So….

Then again, no two people’s skin or bodies are exactly alike.

No matter what the product or ingredient (or food for that matter), some will love it, and there will always be people out who happened to have had the worst experience of their life with it.

The thing with coconut oil though is that it’s probably fine… IF you aren’t acne prone, which is why you hear so many wonderful things about it being used a moisturizer.

If you are acne prone (and I assume you are if you are reading my site), then you might have luck with it, but I’d stay away.

And don’t get me wrong… I love using oils in my skin care, just not coconut oil.

However, if you are a braver soul than I and would like to give it a try anyway, absolutely make sure that you are using unrefined, organic, virgin coconut oil. Then if it clogs your pores and breaks you out, you will know it wasn’t the cheap quality or pesticides causing you issues.

What do you think? Have you tried coconut oil on your face? Did you love it? Hate it? If not, would you try it? Or have I freaked you out enough to not touch it?

I mention a lot about how much I love sweet potatoes. My love for them is maybe a bit unnatural…. THEY’RE JUST SO GOOD THOUGH.

So, what are sweet potater-tots?? Well, it’s a word I came up with halfway through making this video! They are just sweet potato fries cut into cubes for faster baking times. SO easy and DELICIOUS! And healthy!

Watch the video to find out how to make ’em!

Directions:

Wash and cut up sweet potatoes into small cubes. I like to use several varieties of sweet potato in one awesome sweet potato medley!!

Put them on a baking tray. Sprinkle a bunch of sea salt on them and put a dollop of coconut oil on there.

Put it in the oven for five minutes or so until the coconut oil melts, and then take it all out and mix it around a bit to coat all the potater-tots.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees until they’re soft. Stir them every once in a while for even baking.

Disclaimer

I'm not a health care professional. All the information found on this website should be used for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace proper medical advice. Always consult a qualified health care provider before embarking on a health or supplement plan.